One day closer to another canceled season, the National Hockey League continues to leave itself in a most shameful position. Day 103 of the lockout dawns Thursday with no talks scheduled toward a collective bargaining agreement.

That doesn't mean people in the league aren't talking, just that commissioner Gary Bettman remains in rock-solid opposition to the offerings of NHLPA chief Donald Fehr.

One man who is talking: New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello, who told The Star-Ledger of Newark: "I'm embarrassed for the game."

If no agreement is reached in the next few weeks, the NHL could add to its shameful legacy of being the only major North American professional sports league to see a full schedule wiped out because its owners and players couldn't reach accord.

There have been no in-person talks since Dec. 13, although the sides had a bargaining conference call Dec. 14.

To date, the NHL has cancelled 625 games through Jan. 14, including the Winter Classic, and scrubbed late January's All-Star Game festivities.

Those games include 12 on Wednesday, normally a blockbuster day as the league comes out of its two-day Christmas break.

The end of the 2012-13 season, scheduled for early June, is at hand.

"It's coming down to the wire right now," Lamoriello told The Star-Ledger. "We've just got to trust the people that are involved. I'm embarrassed we are where we're at. That's the best expression I can use."

From the players' side, Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan echoed Lamoriello by saying: "It's getting to the point where you're losing some of that pride because it's been tarnished so much."

Lamoriello, in particular, sounded frustrated. After all, he had been active in earlier labor talks.

"I'm not involved the way I was in the past. I can't answer why," Lamoriello said.

Remember, Lamoriello did go against the NHL's wishes when he cut a 17-year, $102 million with Ilya Kovalchuk in 2010, the Star-Ledger noted. Bettman & Co. punished the Devils by nullifying two draft picks and mandating a $3 million fine. Kovalchuk accepted a 15-year deal instead.